Field
The present application relates to an endoscope having a distal electrical feed-through, said endoscope comprising an endoscope shaft with a distally arranged objective unit which comprises an electromagnetic actuator and a distal optical assembly that can be shifted in a longitudinal direction of the endoscope shaft by means of the actuator, and having a proximal unit with a proximal optical assembly arranged after the distal optical assembly in the direction of incident light, wherein the objective unit can be rotated in relation to the proximal unit about a longitudinal axis of the endoscope shaft during assembly of the endoscope, and is fixed in a rotationally secure manner in relation to the proximal unit after the assembly, wherein at least one cable for supplying current to the actuator is fed from the proximal unit to the objective unit. The present application further relates to a method for assembling an endoscope having a distal electrical feed-through.
Prior Art
With lens systems of video endoscopes and other endoscopes, flaws in the lens system are compensated by rotating the objective about its axis during the assembly of the endoscope of the image sensor unit until the best image quality is achieved. Then the objective is installed, or respectively fixed relative to the image sensor unit in this rotational alignment. In this manner, optical image flaws arising from tilting the lenses of the lens systems and other optically-active elements of the endoscope are minimized. Further distal elements, i.e. elements at the tip of the endoscope shaft of the endoscope, are for example electromagnetic actuators that can shift part of the lens groups of the lens system of the endoscope in order to, for example, adjust the focus range.
Known electromagnetic actuators used in endoscopes possess a coil with a coil wire having an end and start at a fixed point. To operate the actuator with maximum efficiency and hence enable maximum miniaturization, the coil wire must be guided through a small opening in a pole shoe, or respectively through a magnet. This fixes the coil wire in its position.
The coil wire must be electrically connected to a proximally arranged control unit, such as to a part from the image sensor unit, or respectively CCD unit. When there is a direct connection, it is impossible to rotate the objective relative to the CCD unit without shearing off the coil wires. It is also important for the coil wires to be already connected to the CCD during the rotation process so that the actuator can be operated and the recorded image can hence be completely evaluated.